Drum snare adjuster



Oct. 19, 1937. c, STRUPE 2,096,209

DRUM SNARE ADJUSTER Original Filed June 14, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 n 7 7 16' 254 A I um um n lllHl x u nmn \n 15 I ia.

10 I! a 13 .9 h 9 15 INVENTOR. Us 012 H. Straps,

ATTORNEYS Oct. 19, 1937. c. H. STRUPE 2,095,209

I DRUM SNARE ADJUSTER ori inal Filed June 14, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N l-"EN TOR.

0a. 19, 1937. c. n. STRUPE 2,096,209

DRUM SNARE ADJUSTER Original Filed June 14, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 0602'] H. Stra ae,

A TTORNEYE Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED'STATES PATENT @FFEQE Original application June 14, 1934, Serial No. 730,616. Divided and this application August 8, 1935, Serial 16 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in drums and has for one of its objects that of providing means by which the snares of a snare-drum may be individually tensioned and unitarily moved to and from effective position.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved means for moving the snares of a drum to an effective position and to provide means for adjusting the tension of all of the snares simultaneously.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully hereinafter in the accompanying specifications and claims. 7 i

For the purpose of disclosing my invention, I have illustrated certain embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary section of a snare mechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of one end of the snare mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1.

3 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in section showing a modified form of the snare mechanism.

Fig. 4 is an end view of one of the snare holders illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the opposite snare holder embodying the structure illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view on the line 11 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of another embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 9 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to. Fig. 8 except that certain of the parts are shown in section.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the opposite snare holder for use in connection with the structure illustrated in Fig. 8 or other of the structures illustrated.

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 11.

In the structure illustrated, the usual open ended cylindrical shell I of the drum is provided with the usual head rings 2, the associated heads 3 and the associated straining rings 4. The heads may be adjusted as to tension by any suitable adjusting mechanism as for instance, that illustrated in my copending application filed June 14, 1934 Serial No. 730,616 for drums of which, so far as it pertains to the common subject matter disclosed therein, this present application is a division.

Secured to the outside of the shell I at diametrically opposite points are two posts 5 to each of which is pivoted a U-shaped link 6 to which is pivoted the bifurcated upper end of the arm l 7 provided with a downwardly presented heel 8 and 0 a crossbar 9 laterally spaced from the heel. Detachably secured to the heel 8 of the crossarm is a perforated plate I 0 through which the snares H are strung and both ends of these snares are carried over the adjacent crossbar 9 and projected through the adjacent straining ring and across the drum head again through the straining ring and over the crossbar 9 of the other arm I to the adjacent heel 8 upon which the ends of the snares are clamped by a bar l2 through which the clamping screws l3 are projected into the heel. In this arm 1, above its heel 8, there are pivoteda number of triangular levers I 4 corresponding in number and registering with the several snares, one arm of each lever being engageable with a snare. The other arms of the levers are engaged respectively by temper screws l5 which are threaded through this arm 1 above the heel so that the snares may be individually strained by proper adjustment of the lever 14.

Secured to the inside of the shell I in radial alignment with the arms I are brackets E6 in each of which is pivoted a bell crank lever l1 provided at the ends of its two arms with trunnion nuts l8 and I9. Each nut [8 receives the threaded portion of a screw 28 which is projected through the adjacent arm 1 and through the shell and provided at its outer end with a knurled nut, by means of which it may be readily manipulated. The two nuts [9 are connected together by a stretcher rod 25 and the two bell crank levers are reversely set in their respective bracketswith their arms which carry the nuts l8 approximately parallel with the adjacent drum 4 head when said levers are in their medial position.

Attached to one of the links 6 so as to form an operative arm therefor is a finger 22 which is projected upwardly to a point somewhat above the plane of the upper drum head.

By swinging the upper end of the finger 22 outwardly, the link 6, to which it is attached, is swung downwardly, thereby lowering the arm I which depends therefrom, and the movement of 00 this arm through the medium of its screw 20, swings the adjacent bell crank lever which, through the medium of the stretcher rod, swings the other bell crank lever which, through the medium of its nut l8 and associated screw 20, causes the other depending arm 1 to move downwardly so that the snares are moved away from the adjacent drum head and in substantial parallelism therewith. Movement of the finger 22 back to the position shown in the drawings brings the snares in parallelism up against the adjacent drum head.

As shown in Fig. 1 the nuts 59 pass across the dead centers of the bell crank levers as the arms l pass from upper to lower position or vice versa so that the tension in the snares acts to hold the parts in either extreme.

It will be noted that one arm of each bell crank lever 57 projects from thepivotal anchorage of the lever toward the adjacent snare carrying arm I, and this arm or lever ll is so arranged that its outer end crosses a plane through the lever axis'and parallel with the drum head so that each of the said bell crank arms, in conjunction with the strut screw 2i forms a sort of toggle, the knuckle of which is carried over an intermediate dead center as the snares are shifted to or away from the drum head. As a result of this arrangement, the tension of the snares acts to yieldingly hold, the snares in either extreme of lateral adjustment.

It will, of course, be apparent that if desired, lateral snare movement can be provided at one end in which case the range of movement should be somewhat greater. It also will be noted that by the manipulation of the strut screw, arms '1 may be swung to and from the shell I on their pivots on the arm 5 and thereby adjust the tension of the snares as a whole.

' In Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive I have shown, in modifled form, a snare mechanism. In this structure a U-shaped bracket 24 is secured to the side of the drum near the bottom, the two arms 25 of which-extend substantially at right angles to the shell. A snare clamp 26 is pivotally connected to these arms-through the instrumentality of links 2? pivoted to the sides of the clamp and to the end of the arm. This clamp is somewhat V- shaped with the base of the V extending toward the bottom of the drum and is provided with a pair of downwardly extending arms 28 between which is swivelly mounted one snare clamping member 29. The other snare clamping member 38 is adapted to be connected to the first member by means of tightening screws 3! and between these members is inserted a soft metal-bearing member 32. Also mounted on the shell is a post 33 on which is swingably or pivotally mounted a bell crank lever, the longer arm 34 of which provides a finger mechanism for tightening or releasing the snares by verticallymoving the snare clamp 25. The shorter arm 35 of this lever is connected to a vertically movable arm 36 by a pivoted link 3? and this vertically movable arm has the clamp '26 pivoted thereto by the same pivot pins tt'that connect the links 27 to the snare'clamp. By this arrangement, the snare clamp may be vertically moved andat the same time the clamp is rockably mounted relatively to the shell. For adjusting this rocking movement, I provide a set screw 39, threaded into the arm 38 and having a head a l bearing on the upper end of the snare clamp. In order to guide the vertically movable member 36, this member is slotted as at l to take the pivot pin of the lever 35.

Mounted on the shell diametrically opposite the snare clamp 26 is another snare clamp, comprising a pair of arms 32 connected together by integral cross bar 63, which arms are pivoted as at id. to the T head Q5 of a supporting bracket 26 mounted on the drum shell. These arms 52 inwardly toward the shell and is biased to swingv toward a vertical position by a coiled spring :1 fitting in a recess in the bracket l6. It is, therefore, apparent that due to the angular disposition of this clamping member, when the snare clamp 2% is lowered, the tension on the snares will be somewhat relieved and under the influence oI" the spring 41 the snares at their opposite ends will. also be lowered. Furthermore, it is to be noted that by the swinging of the snare clamp on its pivot 38 to move the lower end of the snare clamp in or out, a corresponding movement will take place with the opposite clamp.

In Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive, I have illustrated a still further modification of my snare mechanism for one side of the drum. Referring to the s structure shown in these figures, a U-shaped bracket 58 is secured to the side of the drum shell and between the two arms 49 of this bracket is pivoted a lever 56 provided with a finger manipulator 5!. side of the drum shell at a point slightly below the bracket Q8 and a pair of links 53 are pivotally connected to this bracket extending substantially in parallelism with the link or lever t t. These links 53, at their outer ends, have secured between the same a nut 5d through which passes an adjusting screw 55. This adjusting screw provides a mounting for the snare clamp arm 56 which at its lower end is pivotally connected as at 5'? to the lever 56. with a knurled adjusting head 58 which receives between it and a collar 59 on the screw a portion til of the arm 55. The upper end oi the arm is provided with a flattened cross bar 5! on which is clamped a clamping bar E2, clamping bolts 63 being provided for securing the bar 62 in position and this bar providing means for securing to the arm one end of the snares. M

At a diametrically opposite point on the drum shell I provide a second snare holder somewhat or screws 55 and connected to this bracket is a U-shaped bracket 6'? by means of the bolt 66 and to the outer ends of this U-shaped bracket 6's is mounted a rocking arm 68 which is pivoted to the arms of the bracket 61 by pivoting rod 59. A tail piece it extends upwardly from the arm 63 and the lower end of this tail piece is slotted to receive the end of a rod or bolt ll, the outer end of which/extends through an opening '12 in an extension 13 of the bracket Bl. And between the teat i l of the arm 13 and a collar 15 on the bolt 'ii is interposed a coiled spring which maintains'the' U-shaped member 58 biased in a direction to strain the snares. The opposite ends of the snares are clamped between a cross bar N5 carried between the arms of the member 68 and a clamping bar E'i.

It is apparent that when the lever 56 is manipulated through the instrumentality of the finger piece 5!, the arm 56 will be raised or lowered and, due to the peculiar movement of this arm which, as a matter of fact, rocks on the nut 5 as well as moves vertically on the links 53 and the lever 59, the member 68 will also rock on its pivot t9 and move the opposite ends oi the snares toward and away from the drum head.

A second bracket 52 is secured to the .L

The screw 55 is provided 13- I claimas my invention:

1. In a snare drum, the combination with a main shell and a head associated. therewith, of snares projected across said head, an anchorage for the snares at one side of said shell, an anchorage at the opposite side of said head for said snares comprising a depending arm substantially parallel with said shell having snare-holding means at one end, a link pivotally mounted on said shell and pivotally associated with said'arm. and a tension screw anchored on said shell and arm for adjusting the snare-holding end of said toward and from said shell.

2. In a snare drum, the combination with a main shell and a head associated therewith, of snares projected across said head, an anchorage for the snares at one side of said shell, an anchorage at the opposite side of said head for said snares comprising a depending arm having snareholding means at one end, a link hinged on said shell on an axis transverse to the, axis of the shell and pivotally associated with said arm, and a lever for moving said arm to throw said link past its dead center in either direction.

3. In a snare drum, the combination with a main shell and a head associated therewith, of snares projected across said head, an anchorage for the snares at one side of said shell, an anchorage at the opposite side of said head for said snares comprising a depending arm having snarehclding means at one end, a link hi ed on said shell on an axis transverse to the axis of the s and pivotally associated with said arm, a lever for moving said arm to throw said link past its dead center in either direction, and a tensioning screw anchored on said shell and arm for adjusting the snare-holding end of said arm toward and from the shell.

4. In a snare drum, the combination with a main shell and a head associated therewith, of snares projected across said head, an arm pivotally mounted on one side of said shell and having means for holding the snares at one end, an anchorage at the opposite side of said shell comprising a depending arm having snare holding means at one end, a link hinged on said shell on an axis transverse to the axis of said shell and pivotally associated with said arm, means for moving said arm to throw said link past its dead center in either direction, and means for causing the opposite arm to move coincidentally with said last mentioned arm whereby the snares will be moved to and from the headin parallelism with the head.

5. In a snare drum, the combination with a main shell and a head associated therewith, of snares projected across said head, an anchorage for the snares at one side of said shell, an anchorage for the snares at the opposite side of said head comprising a depending arm supported on said shell having snare-holding means at one end, a lever operatively connected to the shell and arm for causing said arm to move in a direction to move said snares to and from the head, and means for moving the lower end of said arm to and from the shell with said first mentioned movement.

6. In a snare drum, the combination with a main shelland a head associated therewith, of snares projected across said head, an anchorage for the snares at one side of said shell comprising an arm pivotally mounted on said shell on an axis transverse to the axis of said shell and inclined towards said shell, means for biasing said arm to rock downwardly to move said snares away from said head, an anchorage for the snares at the op posite side of said shell comprising a depending arm having snare-holding means at one end, a link hinged on said shell on an axis transverse to the axis of the shell and a lever for moving said arm and link in a direction to move the snares to and from the drum head and the lower end of said arm to and from the drum shell.

'7. In a snare drum, the combination with a main shell and a head associated therewith, of snares projected across said head, an anchorage for the snares at one side of said shell, an anchorage at the opposite side of said head for said snares comprising a depending arm having snareholding means at one end, a link hinged on said shell on an axis transverse to the axis of the shell and pivotally associated with said arm, and a tension screw anchored to said link and said arm for adjusting the snare-holding end of said arm toward and from the shell.

8. In a snare drum, the combination with a main shell and a head associated therewith, of snares projected across said head, an anchorage for said snares at one side of said shell, an anchorage on the opposite side of said shell for said snares comprising a depending arm having snare holding means at one end, a bell crank lever hinged on said shell on an axis transverse to the axis of the shell and pivotally connected to the upper end of said arm, and a link hingedly mounted on said shell on an axis transverse to the axis of the shell and pivotally associated with said arm at a point intermediate of its ends.

9. In a snare drum, the combination with the main shell thereof, of two diametrically opposed links pivoted on the shell on axes at righ angles to the axis of the shell, two substantially paralleling the drum shell and pivotaliy connected with the adjacent link, snares extended between and connected to the free ends of said arms, tvo bell crank levers pivoted within the shell, a stretcher rod connectin said bell cranl: levers, and laterally projecting elements carried by said arms and projected through the drum shell into association respectively with the adjacent bell crank lever.

10. In a snare drum, the combination with the main shell thereof, of two diametrically opposed links pivoted on the shell on axes at right angles to the axis of the shell, two arms substantially paralleling the drum shell and pivotally con nected with the adjacent link, snares extended between and connected to the free ends of said arms, two bell crank levers pivoted within the shell, a stretcher rod connecting said bell crank levers, and laterally projecting elements carried by said arms and projected through the drum shell operatively connected respectively with the said bell crank levers, one of said projecting elements being adjustable as to effective length.

11. In a snare drum, a snare anchorage comprising an arm having means for clamping the ends of a plurality of snares, a plurality of levers, one associated with each snare, and a corresponding plurality of adjusting screws, each cooperating with a lever to move the same to laterally stress, and thereby longitudinally tension, the

V snare with which it is associated.

12. In a snare drum, the combination with the main shell and a head associated therewith, of a snare anchorage arranged at one side of the main shell with snares anchored at one end thereon and extended across the head, an arm arranged alongside the shell at the opposite side and engaging the adjacent ends of the snares, a link hinged on the shell on an axis transverse to the shell said arm, a second arm pivotally anchored at one end on the shell with its other end projecting toward the first-mentioned arm and a variablelength strut interposed between said two arms, and so connected. to the arms that, as the firstmentioned arm is shifted transversely of the head from one extreme to the other the unanchored end of the second arm will pass from one side to the other of a line passing through the anchorage of the second arm and parallel with the drum head. 1

13. In a snare drum, the combination with the main shell and a head associated therewith, of a snare anchorage arranged at one side of the main shell with snares anchored at one end thereon and extended across the head, an arm arranged alongside the shell at the opposite side and engaging the adjacent ends of the snares, a link hinged on the shell on an axis transverse to the axis of the shell, a hinge connection between said link and said arm, a second arm pivotally anchored at one end on the shell with its other end projectingtoward the first-mentioned arm and a strut interposed between said two arms, and so connected to the arms that, as the firstmentioned arm is shifted transversely of the head from one extreme to the other the unanchored end of the second arm will pass from one side to the other of a line passing through the'anchorage of the second arm and parallel with the drum head. 7

14. In a snare drum, the combination with the main shell and head, of snares extending across the head, an anchorage for one end of said snares, an anchor member for the other end of said snares movable axially of the shell to move the snares to and away from contact with the head, an arm pivotally anchored on the shell on an axis transverse to the axis of the shell, and a variablelength strut interposed between said movable anchor member and the outer end of said arm, the strut and arm being so connected that movement of said anchor member from its one extreme to the other will move the connection between the pivoted arm and said strut across the plane of the pivotal anchorage parallel with the head and the tension of the snares will act to yieldingly retain the arm in either extreme.

15. In a snare drum, the combination with the main shell and head, of snares extending across the head, an anchorge for one end of said snares,

an anchor member for the other end of said snares movable axially of the shell to move the snares t0 and away from contact with the head, an arm pivotally anchored on the shell transverse to the axis of said shell, and a strut interposed. between said movable anchor member and the outer end of said arm, the strut and arm being so connected that movement of said anchor memposed between the free end of, said arm and a stationary part on the shell biasing said clamp towardsa position parallel with the shell, a second snare clamp mounted on the opposite side of said shell, a vertically-movable link mounted on said shell and said clamp being pivotally movable on the link to pivot at right angles-to the shell and lever means for vertically moving said link.

' CECIL H. S'I'RUPE. 

